No top New York official can feign surprise when questioned about the city’s crippled public transportation system or the millions of people left without power following Hurricane Sandy’s ruinous visit, because scientists have been warning them of these dangers for nearly a decade, The New York Times reports. Last year Tropical Storm Irene gave the region a nibble of what is to come – the MTA subway system was shut down, people lost power and trees were ripped out of the ground. But now it’s impossible for New Yorkers to ignore the threat that rising sea levels present, and tentative talks are finally underway to decide what to do about it.